Tire construction.



P. E. WIRT.

TIRE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED JAN Patented Mar. 15, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

lun un P. E. WIRT.

TIRE GONSTBUGTION.

APPLIUATION FILED JAN.13

Patented Mar. 15, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

P. E. WIRT.

TIRE CONSTRUCTION. APPLmATIoN FILED Inma, 1909.

Patented Mar. 15,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3..

P. B. WIR'I'.

TIRE coNsTRUGTIoN.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 1 3, 1909, 951,873, Patented Mar. 15,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

J/WENTOR PAUL ESTERLY WIRT, OF BLOOMSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

TIRE CONSTRUCTION.

Application led January 13, 1909.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL E. VVIRT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomsburg, in the county of Columbia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tire Construction, (Case F,) of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel tire structure, in

which reinforcing means are employed that l to wear, injure or puncture the tire fabric.

Still another object is to provide a laminated or built up structure with the reinforcements so arranged that they can be placed in the sections, units, or segments, before the latter are-brought in properly associated relation to produce the tire.

The above variousl objects and others which will be apparent to those skilled in the art when the invention is fully understood, are secured to the several embodiments disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein: 4 v

Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view of a portion of a tire, showing yparts broken away inv order to illustrate the internal structure. Fig. 2 isa cross sectionalyiew therethrough. Fig.,` 3 is a plan view in out-` line and partiallyy diagrammatic in its character. Fig. 4 is a detail lperspective View illustrating the manner of producing the tire body. F ig.` 5 is a detail perspective View of the tire section shown in Fig. 4, but reversed. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a modified form of construction. Fig. l"i is a plan view of two of the elements or units illustrating the manner in which the same are associated. Fig. 8 is a view of one form of blank that may be employed. Fig. 9 illustrates th'e manner in which said blanks are cut. Fig," 10 is a perspective view of another form of blank. Fig.' 11 is a per pective view of' an element or unit cut erefronr .F1g.'12 is a detail perspective Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 15, 1910.

Serial No. 472,128.

view of stillv another embodiment of the blank structure.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings. v

In the embodiment disclosed in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the tire body may be as usual formed of superposed sheets or layers 13,the ends of which are wrapped about clencher cores 14.. ln this form of construction, there is preferably provided a tread portion 15, but in so far as the particular type of tread portion is concerned, no claim is herein made thereto, as it constitutes the subject-matter of another application, led simultaneously here-A with, Serial No. 472,126. In fact the patentable features of this case may or may not be employed in connection with tread portions. Embedded in the tire bod preferably by being placed between the `layers 13, are reinforcing elements 16. It will be noted that these elements do not extend directly about the tire, but are disposed diagonally therein. They maybe constructed in a variety of ways, but preferably each element con-sists of a plurality of strands of fine soft wire braidedv together, very much von the order of wire employed for hanging pictures. They will thus yield radially, are not apt-to become broken, and have great tensile strength. At the same time, should they break from any cause, each individual strand is so pliable and soft that -it will readily yield, and will not puncture or enter the surrounding fabric or material. The ends of these reinforcing elements are bent about the clencher cores 14, and thus reinforce the clencher flanges while constituting effective anchors against detachment. By employin diagonally disposed reinforcing elements o the character disclosed, itl will be evident that great tensile strength is insured in the body or casing, and yet said elements produce practically no resistance to the resiliency of the tire. The arrangement is decidedly advantageous over concentrically or right angularly disposed reinforcing devices,

which tend to create a sti'ening arch that is much harder and less s ringy and yielding than tha-com aratively ong diagonally dis'- osed strands. now employed. As many ayers of these reinforcing devices may be' emploed as desired, and they may be arrange indifferent ways. Thus, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the different sete of strands extend in opposite directions, and the crossing of said strands increases the strength of the tire.

Taking rup now Figs. 6-12 inclusive, Ain this ,embodiment of the invention, the tire body or case is composed of'formin -units 17 arranged in layers, as illustrate said units beino diagonally disposed, and those onf the di erent layers extending in oppo. vsite or crossed directions. In these units are embedded the reinforcing elements 18 which are preferably disposed longitudinally therein, as shown. Y Said units may be of the same material as above described. In -producin this type of tire, the reinforcements are `pre erably placed in the units prior to the association of said units into the tire structure. Different ways of producing the same are illustrated in Figs. 8-12 inclusive. Thus in Fig. 8, a blank 19 is employed and the reinforcing wires 18 are embedded in one surface. The said blank is then cut diagonally, as illustrated in Fig. 9, producing the units 17 already described. In Figs. 10 and 1.1,

. the blank is formed of sections or strips 20,

between which the reinforcements 18 e placed, the sections or layers being t en pressed together with the wires embedded in the same, after which they, are cut into units 17EL as shown in Fig. 11. In Fig. 12, the re-l inforcements are `lllustrated as diagonally disposed and are crossed, though said crossed dispositlon may or may not be employed as deslred. When the reinforcements are placed.

between sheets as abov'e described, they are pressed or rolled well together, so as to prouce as little thickness as possible, and provide an even iexible sheet. It is preferablelin all the forms to use a rubberized fabric, which need not necessarily be thick nor very strong. In fact, a light fabric netting, cornmonly known as mosquito netting, may be employed,nover which is placed a very thin sheet of soft rubber, the relnforcing elements being stretched at the necessary intervals a art over the same. Another very thin s eet of rubber with a backing of the same netting is then placed upon the above'described structure, and the whole compactly pressed, thereby providing a verydesirable clothing for the reinforcmg strands. The rincipal reason for using the thin flexible abrio in connection withthe rubber is that when the reinforcing sheet inclosing the use of woven, twisted, or

' This form of construction secures the greatwires is built into the tire, it is more stable in handling more flexibleand 'moreeasily bent, flattened or formed intoshape without inclosing or trapping air to interfere with proper vulcanizatlon. It is desired to lay stron em hasis on the rai ed metal reinforcing strands made of quite thin wire.

est flexibility alon with' the greatest ten- -sile strength, and a so in the event of breakage the constituent wires ofthe strandv are so weak that they could not penetrate inwardly through the thicknesses of fabric back of them into the inner tube to puncture the same. They are so enfolded or incased and vulcanized in the tire that sharp or acute bending of the strands cannot take place as the tire is used and, therefore, breaking is aremote contingency. Thicker wire strands would 'break more Aeasily on slight but continuous bending and stiff broken ends would more readily intrude or protrude. To insure further durability and prevent oxidation or corrosion, the strands may be woven from thin non-corrosive wire,

as from brass or copper wire. In constructing the reinforcing sheets, after the metal strands are placed Vat intervals between sheets of rubber or rubberized material the whole is rolled or ressed to aflat surface. The woven or braided metal strands flatten down in the rollingand the whole body is of even surface to apply to the tire body, and so lies down closely and vsnugly to place, thereby eliminating air to insure positlve vulcanization. WVhen the reinforclng sheet is made of rubbered fabric sheets the fabric should be as heretofore stated, quite thin and iexibley over a sheet of soft rubber or fabric, and

then rolled or pressed into the same-so as to provide an even surfacefor the sheet when used upon the tire. Where the cord is placedv between sheets they are likewise pressed or rolled well together, so as to produce as little thickness as possible, and to provide, as before stated, an even eXible stable sheet from'which are prepared the sections or proper sized pieces to be placed upon or within the tire casing. It will therefore be observed that the reinforcing sheet prepared as described is substantially the same 1n the practical application of building up the casingv of the tire, as one of the thicknesses o r sheets of the ordinary rubberized canvas that is used in the ordinary tire; construction. And, as before stated, a group of straight or stretched metal strands at proper intervals apart and lying or traveling'upon the same plane, may be ressed or rolled upon or between rubber, ru berzed fabric, or netting in sheets of very considera-ble length, so as to facilitate preparation and handling for use in building up the Same Within' the tire when cut to the proper shape, and proper sized pieces.

By way of illustrating the application of the features of the invention above referred to, it will be observed that Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings suggest one manner of using a. reinforcement sheet constructed as shown in Fig. 12 of the drawings. In the same connection, it will be further noted that in -applying the reinforcement sheets to a tire structure such as suggested in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, it will be understood that one or more layers of rubberized fabric commonly used 1n ordinary tire construction are first applied to the core, and then over these and fiattened or rolled perfectly to thc same, is applied rubberized reinforcing sheets or pieces constructed in the manner exemplified by Figs. 8 to 12 inclusive of the drawings. It will, of course, be understood t-hat after the reinforcement sheets are laid as desired upon the casing or tire, one or more layers of the usual rubberized fabric may be placed over the same in the usual way, and then over the outer layer of rubberized fabric, the usual outer cover of soft rubber is applied and the whole then vulcanized together.

It is well known that in the ordinary tire construction the rubbered fabric is usually so arranged-that the ends and side edges of the sheets or strips of material overlap, and each successive overlying layer (and there are usually from four to seven of them) has its overlapping joint. At these overlapped joints of the respective layers the casing is thickened to that extent at all the points of overlap around and within the casing. This condition in the ordinary tire structure operates against the durability of the tire and accelerates breakage thereof. It is therey fore'the purpose ofthe present invention to provide a structure which obviates the production of these overlapped joints, and consequent thickening at all the points of overlap around and within the casing. In this connection particular attention is invited to the specific form of the invention shown in,

and exemplified by, Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings. As plainly shown in Fig. 6, the diagonally disposed strips of reinforced sheet material are laid on flatwise,with the adjacent strips, in each layer thereof, avrranged in abutting edge to edge relation without overlap. This permits the casing to be built up from these strips without crimping, overlapping, 0r gaping, and at the same time produce, when the casing is fully covered, a fiat and smooth exterior surface for the finall covering of rubber.

- Various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any. of the advantages of the invention, and in this connection, it is to be understood that while stress has been laid herein on lthe diagonal arrangement or disposition of the reinforcing devices or strands, the essential features of the invention may be preserved with such reinforcing devices or strands arranged in any direction and in any relation with respect to the body of the tire. and it is intended that the claims herein shall comprehend these different em bodiments of the invention.

l. A tire comprising a body made up of a plurality of layers of flexible material, and individual unconnected reinforcing strands located between the layers and arranged diagonally in said body, said strands consisting of thin, soft pliable wires.

2. A tire comprising a body composed of layers of flexible material and clencher elements including cores about which the layers are wrapped, and individual reinforcing strands located between the layers and havin their terminal portions extended into said clencher elements about the cores therein.

3. A tire comprising a body made up of a plurality of layers of flexible material, and individual unconnected reinforcing strands located between the layers and arranged diagonally in said body, said strands consisting of thin soft pliable wires braided together.

4. A tire comprising a body composed of layers of flexible material and having clencher elements, and reinforcing elements consistin of braided soft Wire strands extending iagonally within the body and into said clencher elements.

5. A tire comprising a body made up of a plurality of layers of flexible material and diagonally disposed reinforcing strands between the layers, the strands between different layers extending in different directions. v

6. A tire comprising a body made up ofk diagonally disposed strips of sheet material and rein-forcing strands embedded lin the sheets and disposed longitudinally thereof.

7. A tirekcomprising a body made up of diagonally disposed strips of sheet material secured'together and reinforcing strands located between the sheets and disposed longitudinally thereof.

.8. A tir cmprising a body made up of diagonally disposed strips of sheet material arranged in layers, the different layers ex,-

- tending in opposite directions, and reinforcing strands located between the layersland disposed longitudinally thereof.

9. `A tire comprising a body made up of diagonally disposed strips of sheet material and reinforcing elements comprising strands braided ,togethen said elements being embedded in the sheets.

10. A ytire comprising a body made up of ldiagonally disposed strips of sheet material arranged in layersgfthe' ydifferent layers extending in opposite directions, and reinforcing wires comprising strands braided together, saidwires being located between the sheets and disposed longitudinally thereof.

11. A tirecomprising a body composed of -layers of flexible material and having clencher elements, and flexible reinforcing elements consisting of braided soft, pliable, wire strands located between the layers at intervals within the body and extending into said clencher elements. v

12. A tire comprising a bodymade up of i layers of flush-tting strips of'lexible sheet material, and reinforcing strandsembedded in the sheets at intervals apart and disposed longitudinally thereof.

13. A tire comprising a body having layers made up of diagonallydisposed strips of flexible sheet material laid flatwise with the adjacent strips in each layer flushly abutting in edge to edge relation without overlap, and reinforcing strands located between the sheets at intervals apart and extending longitudinally thereof.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my I signature in the resence of two witnesses. v P UL ESTERLY WIRT. Witnesses:

KARL F. WIR'r, R. L. ORANGE. 

